Nature Chemistry Contents March 2014 Volume 6 Number 3 pp 167-254

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TABLE OF CONTENTS March 2014 Volume 6, Issue 3 Books and Arts Research Highlights Blogroll News and Views Articles In Your Element Subscribe   Facebook   RSS   Recommend to library   Twitter   Advertisement NPG Asia Materials is proud to present a web focus on Biomaterials, bio-inspired materials and biosensors featuring a selection of articles on topics that range from biomaterials such as cellulose or silk protein to bio-inspired materials such as polymer nanotubes and topological nanostructures to functional device concepts such as DNA computers or nanowire biosensors.  Access today!    Books and Arts Top Food for thought   p167 Matthew Hartings reviews Using Food to Stimulate Interest in the Chemistry Classroom Edited by Keith Symcox doi:10.1038/nchem.1876 Research Highlights Top Synthetic methods: Olefin couplings | Aziridine synthesis: Protection not included | Photocatalysis: Water is the solution | Electron microscopy: Jaws up close Blogroll Top Blogroll: Drops in a bucket   p169 John Spevacek doi:10.1038/nchem.1877 News and Views Top Enzyme mechanisms: Flexibility leads to function   pp170 - 171 Jianhua Zhao and John L. Rubinstein doi:10.1038/nchem.1879 ATP synthase is an important enzyme for the storage and release of energy in cells. Ion-mobility mass spectrometry has now been used to study its structure, revealing important mechanistic details about its operation and regulation. See also: Article by Zhou et al. Supramolecular polymerization: Living it up   pp171 - 173 Frank Würthner doi:10.1038/nchem.1863 Protein fibril formation is involved in many human diseases and thus has been mechanistically elucidated in the context of understanding — and in turn treating — them. This biological phenomenon has now also inspired the design of a supramolecular system that undergoes living polymerization. See also: Article by Ogi et al. Energy transfer: Vibronic coherence unveiled   pp173 - 175 Vivek Tiwari, William K. Peters and David M. Jonas doi:10.1038/nchem.1881 Pigment assemblies with high-efficiency electronic energy transfer have recently been observed to show unusual and persistent coherence, but its origin is not fully understood. Now, a combination of 2D electronic spectroscopy and theoretical modelling has allowed the excitonic coherence signal of a strongly coupled homodimer to be isolated. See also: Article by Halpin et al. Uranium extraction: Coordination chemistry in the ocean   pp175 - 177 Yi Lu doi:10.1038/nchem.1880 The amount of uranium in seawater vastly exceeds that in land-based deposits; but separating it from other more abundant metal ions requires high affinity, selectivity — and the ability to deal with an enormous volume of water. Now, two complementary approaches have made considerable contributions to overcoming these challenges. See also: Article by Zhou et al. Enzyme catalysis: Basic principles in one easy lesson   pp177 - 178 Lawrence T. Scott doi:10.1038/nchem.1872 Enzymes catalyse nearly all of the myriad chemical reactions that occur in every living organism. An easily understandable, visually appealing model has now been described that illustrates the fundamentals of how enzymes work. See also: Article by Jurícek et al. Chemistry JOBS of the week PhD in Organic Chemistry Clarkson University PhD studentship in Inorganic Chemistry and Electrochemistry University of Brest Postdoctoral Research Position - Synthetic Organic Chemistry VIB Vesalius Research Center Belgium Chair (W3) of Physical Chemistry of Polymeric Materials TU Dresden PhD in Organic Chemistry for Imaging Applications Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA) More Science jobs from Chemistry EVENT Beilstein Bozen Symposium on Chemistry and Time 19.05.14 Prien, Germany More science events from Articles Top Precision design of ethylene- and polar-monomer-based copolymers by organometallic-mediated radical polymerization   pp179 - 187 Anthony Kermagoret, Antoine Debuigne, Christine Jérôme and Christophe Detrembleur doi:10.1038/nchem.1850 Copolymers of ethylene and polar monomers are produced industrially using free radical polymerization that leads to broad molecular weight distributions of products with ill-defined structures. Now, an organo–cobalt complex is shown to control the radical copolymerization of ethylene with polar monomers under mild experimental conditions, and allows access to block-like copolymers with targeted compositions and monomer distributions. Living supramolecular polymerization realized through a biomimetic approach   pp188 - 195 Soichiro Ogi, Kazunori Sugiyasu, Swarup Manna, Sadaki Samitsu and Masayuki Takeuchi doi:10.1038/nchem.1849 Self-organization that occurs far from thermodynamic equilibrium is ubiquitous in nature but has remained challenging to control in synthetic supramolecular systems. A complex system has now been devised that displays such behaviour. Porphyrin derivative monomers undergo living supramolecular polymerization, a reaction underpinned by the interplay of two supramolecular polymerization pathways. Chemical compounds See also: News and Views by Wurthner Two-dimensional spectroscopy of a molecular dimer unveils the effects of vibronic coupling on exciton coherences   pp196 - 201 Alexei Halpin, Philip J. M. Johnson, Roel Tempelaar, R. Scott Murphy, Jasper Knoester et al. doi:10.1038/nchem.1834 The observation of long-lived coherent oscillations in the nonlinear spectra of photosynthetic proteins has raised significant discussion on the role of quantum effects in biology. Using a model system, the signatures of inter-exciton coherence have been isolated, which has allowed the influence of vibronic coupling to be studied in unprecedented detail. See also: News and Views by Tiwari et al. Photocurrent generation based on a light-driven proton pump in an artificial liquid membrane   pp202 - 207 Xiaojiang Xie, Gastón A. Crespo, Günter Mistlberger and Eric Bakker doi:10.1038/nchem.1858 Light-driven proton pumps are used in biology to create a proton gradient that can be subsequently converted into chemical energy. Here, an artificial light-harvesting system based on a membrane doped with a spiropyran is described. Irradiation with UV light generates a proton flux across the membrane and results in the generation of an electrical current. Ion mobility–mass spectrometry of a rotary ATPase reveals ATP-induced reduction in conformational flexibility   pp208 - 215 Min Zhou, Argyris Politis, Roberta B. Davies, Idlir Liko, Kuan-Jung Wu et al. doi:10.1038/nchem.1868 Ion mobility–mass spectrometry has enabled the study of conformation and dynamics of membrane proteins in the gas phase. Here, the enhanced flexibility of macromolecular ATPase was investigated by comparing arrival time distributions of distinct species and relating them to different solution conditions, leading to the proposal of a nucleotide-triggered regulatory mechanism. See also: News and Views by Zhao & Rubinstein State-resolved diffraction oscillations imaged for inelastic collisions of NO radicals with He, Ne and Ar   pp216 - 221 Alexander von Zastrow, Jolijn Onvlee, Sjoerd N. Vogels, Gerrit C. Groenenboom, Ad van der Avoird et al. doi:10.1038/nchem.1860 When molecules collide with atoms or other molecules their quantum mechanical character can lead to the diffraction of matter waves. Making use of advances in molecular beam technology, such diffraction oscillations have now been observed with unprecedented sharpness and angular resolution in the benchmark NO + He, Ne, or Ar systems. Induced-fit catalysis of corannulene bowl-to-bowl inversion   pp222 - 228 Michal Juríček, Nathan L. Strutt, Jonathan C. Barnes, Anna M. Butterfield, Edward J. Dale et al. doi:10.1038/nchem.1842 Enzymatic catalysis relies on stereoelectronic complementarity between the enzyme's active site and the substrate's transition state. A simple model system illustrating this tenet has now been devised. The bowl-to-bowl inversion of corannulene, catalysed inside the cavity of a synthetic receptor by an induced-fit mechanism, arises from ground-state destabilization combined with transition-state stabilization. Chemical compounds See also: News and Views by Scott Conversion of light into macroscopic helical motion   pp229 - 235 Supitchaya Iamsaard, Sarah J. Aßhoff, Benjamin Matt, Tibor Kudernac, Jeroen J. L. M. Cornelissen et al. doi:10.1038/nchem.1859 Helices are found at every level of natural systems, where their dynamic potential is exploited to achieve a variety of functions. Here, liquid-crystalline molecular switches embedded in a polymer are used to prepare biomimetic spring-like materials that can convert molecular motion into macroscopic work. Chemical compounds A protein engineered to bind uranyl selectively and with femtomolar affinity   pp236 - 241 Lu Zhou, Mike Bosscher, Changsheng Zhang, Salih Özçubukçu, Liang Zhang et al. doi:10.1038/nchem.1856 The extraction of uranium from seawater is limited by the high concentrations of carbonate and competing metal ions. Now, a highly selective uranyl-binding protein with femtomolar affinity has been developed. This protein can extract up to 60% uranium from synthetic seawater when immobilized on bacterial cell surfaces or amylose resin. See also: News and Views by Lu Dye-sensitized solar cells with 13% efficiency achieved through the molecular engineering of porphyrin sensitizers   pp242 - 247 Simon Mathew, Aswani Yella, Peng Gao, Robin Humphry-Baker, Basile F. E. Curchod et al. doi:10.1038/nchem.1861 A dye that both maximizes electrolyte compatibility and improves light-harvesting properties has been designed for dye-sensitized solar cells. In cells based on the cobalt(II)/(III) redox mediator, use of the dye resulted in a power-conversion efficiency of 13%, revealing the great potential of porphyrin dyes for future solar cell applications. Chemical compounds Building an appropriate active-site motif into a hydrogen-evolution catalyst with thiomolybdate [Mo3S13]2− clusters   pp248 - 253 Jakob Kibsgaard, Thomas F. Jaramillo and Flemming Besenbacher doi:10.1038/nchem.1853 Non-noble-metal-based MoS2 nanostructures are hydrogen evolution catalysts whose active sites are known to be located at the edges. Supported thiomolybdate [Mo3S13]2− nanoclusters have now been prepared that exhibit a structural motif similar to that of MoS2 edges. The nanoclusters, synthesized by a scalable route, demonstrate a high turnover frequency. In Your Element Top The A-Z of zirconium   p254 John Emsley doi:10.1038/nchem.1875 From fake gems to a fixture of nuclear plants, John Emsley considers the many uses of zirconium. Top Advertisement Don't miss these latest articles from the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology - Air pollution exposure prediction approaches used in air pollution epidemiology studies  - The factors influencing urinary arsenic excretion and metabolism of workers in steel and iron smelting foundry  - Exposure vs toxicity levels of airborne quartz, metal and carbon particles in cast iron foundries      Natureevents is a fully searchable, multi-disciplinary database designed to maximise exposure for events organisers. The contents of the Natureevents Directory are now live. The digital version is available here. Find the latest scientific conferences, courses, meetings and symposia on natureevents.com. 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